Timeline: Hindu Nationalism in India

The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide victory in the 2014 elections has precipitated a revival of Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, in the world’s largest democracy. In the aftermath of the elections, Hindu extremists have directed hostilities toward Indian Christians and Muslims, among other minorities. Though Hindu extremism is not new, this wave of resurgent nationalism and Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s silence on the subject are alarming. This timeline tracks the development of Hindu nationalism in India since 1925 and highlights some of the most significant incidents of religious unrest in India. This timeline is adapted from the “India’s Right Turn” feature that appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of World Policy Journal.